First as you know I don't own She-Ra, He-Man, or any related material. It's the creation and property of Mattel and Filmation. This story and the original characters therein are mine.
Second, this story has a T rating and it will earn it! This story is going to get dark. It contains violence including death, some quite graphic; language; and some subject matter that some may find disturbing or at least inappropriate for younger audiences. Nevertheless this story is a vital turning point in my ongoing storyline and must be told.
This story is set in the classic He-Man/She-Ra storyline and follows after The Road Queen. It would probably be best if you read that story first but here's a quick recap:
Previously:
Just as Adora chose to finally reveal the secret of her double identity to Sea Hawk, she was captured by a mysterious bounty hunter known as the Road Queen who, it turned out, had been tracking her for some time and thus had learned for herself that Adora and She-Ra were one and the same. However Road Queen, aka Reina, was not evil and soon revealed that she was capturing Adora for Hordak in exchange for her long lost brother, imprisoned by the Horde years ago.
Hordak meanwhile was having to deal with the ruthless Horde Inspector Caries who he learned was plotting to overthrow him. When Adora was turned over Hordak wanted to keep her alive but Caries, with the backing of Horde Prime, ordered her to be executed. Road Queen meanwhile realized almost immediately that the man Hordak had turned over to her was an impostor as Hordak had been unable to locate her brother among his slave camps. What no one knew or realized is that Reina's brother had in fact been the man who Hordak had turned into his cybernetic warrior Dragstor.
Road Queen hurried back to rescue Adora but was forced into a race against Dragstor, not knowing it was her brother. Dragstor too did not realize who Reina was since his memory had been erased, but he did sense something familiar about her. Reina managed, albeit barely, to win and Dragstor revealed that Adora had been taken to the ancient ruins to be fed to the Beast Monster.
Road Queen arrived just in time to save Adora. When Hordak and Caries arrived shortly after, they revealed in conversation that when Hordak had kidnapped Adora as a baby, he had in fact been under orders from Horde Prime to kill her in order to prevent a prophecy from being fulfilled. The exact details of this prophecy were not revealed however.
Hordak, plotting against Prime, had instead raised Adora like his own daughter. Hordak's tone suggested that he had developed an emotional attachment to her. This was emphasized when, upon learning Adora was alive, Caries tried to kill her personally and Hordak instantly stepped in and prevented it, throwing Caries to the Beast Monster, which devoured her.
Having become good friends with Adora, Road Queen officially joined the Great Rebellion. Still unaware of her brother's fate, she vowed to continue her search until they were reunited no matter how long it took.
Five years have passed since then...
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Chapter 1: The Honeymoon's Over
Etheria was a planet ravaged by war. The war had been raging on for years, and showed no signs of ending anytime in the near future. Yet even in the midst of such turmoil, it was still possible to find reasons for happiness and celebration.
Inside Castle Bright Moon thoughts were not on war at the moment. Oh there were still guards and lookouts stationed to be ready in case of a Horde attack, but in truth an attack would be a fool hardy gesture. Nearly the entire Rebellion was gathered together in the great hall. While at first this might give the impression of a perfect time to strike and wipe them all out at once, given the vast amount of power the rebels had all in one place, any move made by the Horde would be doomed to failure.
However, as was previously mentioned, the thoughts of the Rebellion were not on war but on celebration. Adora sat at the center of the main banquet table, the place usually reserved for Queen Angella as it was her castle. But tonight was a special occasion and Adora was the center of attention.
The young princess, always beautiful to begin with, certainly would be turning heads even if she was not the reason for the party. Her regalness shined though thanks to her bright white gown, with its seductively low neckline and the crown of flowers adorning her golden haired head. It was not the type of outfit she wore every day, but then it was not every day she got married.
Adora's eyes drifted over to her new husband beside her. As out of character as her clothes might have seemed, they were nothing to Sea Hawk's. Instead of his usual rugged garb the pirate captain was wearing a formal officer's coat, navy blue with shiny polished brass buttons. His shirt was pressed and bleached white with frilled sleeves and a high and tight collar. He still looked like a sea captain, but of an imperial flagship rather than a pirate clipper.
The outfit was clearly making Hawk uncomfortable and Adora had to chuckle lightly as he tugged once again at his tight collar. Somewhat ironic since he normally had a small scarf tied around his neck.
"Quit fidgeting," she whispered. "It's only for a little longer then you'll never have to wear that again."
"Oh sure you say that now," Hawk grinned, "Then your brother will finally decide to get serious with Teela and be right back in it for their wedding."
Adora shrugged. "The way they're moving, you'll have plenty of time to pick out something else." Part of her hoped he was right though. Everyone knew how Adam and Teela truly felt about each other and had for years, but the two had only recently started actually dating. Adora wasn't even sure if they had actually kissed yet. She did know that Adam still had not revealed to her that he was He-Man. That was a step she knew he was going to have to take before committing any further.
The sound of Glimmer tapping her glass with a knife for attention brought Adora back to the present. Once the room fell silent Glimmer took a deep breath and began the speech she had been preparing.
"I've never been very good at making speeches," she said. "And I certainly never expected to find myself delivering a toast to the union of a princess and a pirate. Let alone a former Horde Captain and mercenary."
"You're going somewhere with this?" Adora asked good naturedly bringing a round of laughter.
"I said I wasn't good at speeches," Glimmer chuckled. "My point is that when I look at you two, I don't see a princess and a pirate or a mercenary and an ex Horde Captain. Instead, I see two people deeply in love. Two of the greatest friends I could ever ask for. And two people who couldn't be more perfect for each other."
After a brief round of applause she continued, "Adora, I'll admit when you first came to us and took over the rebellion I was skeptical. But now I don't see how we'd ever get along without you. You're a true friend, an inspiration to us all, and I for one would follow you to the ends of Etheria and beyond."
A rousing consensus erupted from the room and Adora couldn't help but smile as she looked around at her gathered friends and allies. Suddenly though her eyes stopped and fell upon a lone figure standing alone and withdrawn in the back of the room. Adora's smile fell slightly. After all this time Reina, the Road Queen, was still a loner uncomfortable in a crowd.
It wasn't that she was exactly anti-social. In her time with the Rebellion she had established a friendship with many of its members, but she was still only comfortable opening up to Adora. Despite being accepted into their ranks she still felt out of place. Sometimes it seemed the more she tried to fit in the more she stood out. Even now she had forgone her usual bounty hunting biker outfit for a lavender formal gown that matched her usually wind swept but now perfectly combed hair. But it just didn't seem right. It wasn't really her.
Adora decided to go over to talk to her friend and started to push her chair back from the table. She was stopped however when Sea Hawk leaned close to her and whispered, "I know this is like déjà vu but you should really wait till she finishes."
Adora almost blushed in embarrassment as Glimmer was still talking and delivering her speech. Fortunately, she apparently hadn't noticed and kept going.
"...and as you two start a new life and new family together, here's hoping it will be in a world filled with peace thanks to your actions. And may your children and your children's children receive the same love and devotion you've given each other, and indeed given to us all." She raised her glass in salute and everyone followed suit. "To Adora and Sea Hawk!"
"It's not déjà vu," Adora whispered to Hawk, "we have been through this before." And so they had, not two days before in fact. Knowing how difficult it would be to gather all their friends and family from Eternia and Etheria together for one event- not to mention dangerous with their enemies free to launch an attack at any time- the couple had opted to hold two ceremonies and receptions. One on Eternia and then one on Etheria. The toast that Adam had given for his sister and new brother-in-law had been remarkably similar to the one Glimmer had just given. The final part was almost word for word the same.
"We haven't even been married for three days and already everyone's expecting us to have children," Hawk laughed.
"Are you saying you don't ever want to have kids?" Adora asked.
"Well no not ever. I mean not, not ever. Not never. That is..."
Adora chuckled. "I know what you mean." It was a serious decision to make. Adora actually liked the idea of becoming a mother, and she was sure Sea Hawk would make an excellent father. Nevertheless, bringing a child into a world torn by war was a dangerous, and perhaps even cruel, gesture to make. Not to mention the fear that their enemies might try to use the child against them.
For now Adora decided to concentrate on the present and turned her attention back to Road Queen. When she looked however she found a surprise, not so much from the fact she was now actually talking to someone, but rather who she was speaking with.
The figure stood tall dressed all in green with a metallic helmet that covered her whole head leaving only her face exposed along with a long topknot of blonde hair Adora could scarcely believe her eyes that she was actually here.
"Double Trouble?"
The glamorous double agent concluded her low inaudible conversation with Road Queen who turned and quietly slunk out of the room, while Double Trouble herself headed over to Adora grinning wide.
"Well, look at you Adora," she grinned.
"D.T.! I can't believe you actually made it!" Adora said getting up and embracing her seldom seen friend. Double Trouble spent most of her time behind enemy lines spying on the Horde while pretending to be one of them. All the while leaking vital information to the Rebellion.
"Can't stay long," Double Trouble sighed. "It'll draw unwanted attention if I'm discovered missing. I just had to stop by and congratulate the newlyweds."
"Is that all?" Adora asked gesturing towards the doorway Road Queen had departed through. "What were you talking with Reina about?"
"Just a little personal information she asked me to get. Nothing you need to worry about."
Adora was actually now less convinced she needed to be concerned. "What kind of information would she need to ask you to get for her?"
Double Trouble tisked and shook her finger in Adora's face, though with a friendly smile. "Now, now Adora. Do you think I could have maintained my status as a double agent successfully all these years if I had loose lips?"
"Fair enough," Adora said. "Actually I have a pretty good idea what's going on."
Double Trouble's face turned serious. "Really Adora, you don't need to worry about it. Actually there's something else I needed to pass on to you."
"I'm listening."
"Hordak's been doing a lot of off planet business lately with some other dark lord. Not Horde, different empire, but still nasty guys. I'm not entirely sure what he's up to since most of their conversations have been in private, but it seems he's plotting a move against Horde Prime."
"I've suspected as much since back when I served the Horde," Adora nodded.
"Well there's been talk about long laid plans coming to focus," Double Trouble added. "And something about fulfilling a prophecy. No precise details yet, but you asked me to keep you informed if I heard anything pertaining to it."
"Thanks D.T. keep on top of it. I want to know what this prophecy is and what it has to do with me."
"Well that's the one thing I have picked up," Double Trouble, scratching her chin. "I'm not so sure the prophecy is actually about you. I overheard Hordak talking about running out of time and therefore needing to find a replacement."
"Huh?" Adora said confused. "How can you find a replacement for someone prophecised about?"
Double Trouble shrugged. "The future's not set in stone Adora. One event can change your whole life."
It was later that evening, the party long since broken up and the guests retired to their beds, when a lone figure crossed the courtyard silently as possible. Road Queen took extra care while pushing her hover bike manually. She dared not start up the vehicle until she was a safe distance away. Although she would be long gone before anyone could stop her, there was no sense in disturbing anyone's rest with the roar of her engines. Particularly the newlyweds.
Reina had traded up her formal gown for her normal attire and, despite the fact that it was the middle of the night, had slipped her red lensed sunglasses over her eyes. As always she had her trusty laser gun at her side but she had taken the time to load up with extra knives, bombs, and even a pair of projectile bullet pistols. Where she was going she was going to be prepared for anything and was anticipating the need to kill.
"Out for a midnight drive?"
Road Queen jumped and whipped out her gun in surprise, but luckily held her fire. Adora stepped out of the shadows into the moonlight shaking her head.
"I've got something I need to do," Road Queen said. "I should be back sometime tomorrow."
"If you manage to come back at all from the look of it," Adora said. "What's going on?"
"It's just some personal business," Road Queen said. "Don't worry about it."
"I thought we agreed no more secrets between us," Adora said firmly. "You walk out on the celebration after receiving information you asked Double Trouble to get for you. And now you're headed out in the middle of the night decked out like your ready to take on a whole platoon single handedly. Reina, not knowing what's going on is going to make me worry even more."
Road Queen sighed. "Double Trouble located a hidden slave mine. Completely off the records, almost no one knows it even exists. Or rather did exist. The mine's run dry and their moving all the slaves out tomorrow morning."
"You're going after your brother," Adora nodded. "I thought as much."
"I don't know if he's actually there or not," Reina sighed. "But if he is I only have this one window of opportunity. No time for the subtle approach. Gotta go in guns blazing."
"You can't do this alone," Adora insisted.
"I can handle myself," Road Queen said. "Besides, there will be killing. I'm not going to risk anyone else's life for my sake."
"At least let me help you," Adora said. "You stand a much better chance of succeeding if you've got someone to watch your back."
"And what better backup can I get than She-Ra? Is that what you're thinking?"
Adora shrugged, "Well I'm not one to brag..."
"But what's true is true," Sea Hawk said stepping out of the shadows and handing Adora the Sword of Protection.
Road Queen sighed. "I'll admit I'd feel better having your there to help, but you've just been married. You should be spending this time with your husband not risking your life in battle."
"Don't take this the wrong way," Sea Hawk said, "but Adora and I have the rest of lives to be together in."
Adora nodded in understanding. "While there is only a matter of hours to strike on the slave camp before we loose everyone there, possibly forever. It's okay Reina. We knew the war wasn't going to put itself on hold so we could take a honeymoon."
"Won't your absence arose suspicion?" Road Queen said, clearly running out of excuses.
"I can cover for you," Sea Hawk said. "We've just been married, I'm sure I can convince everyone to leave us alone for a few hours."
Adora laughed and kissed him. Keeping her double identity a secret had become much less stressful since she had let him in on it. Road Queen looked at her friends and shook her head in defeat.
"I don't have time to stand here and argue over this anymore. And somehow I get the feeling that even if I left without you, you'd just follow me anyway. Very well, come if you must, but there's two conditions."
"Name them."
"First," Road Queen stated firmly, "No pulling rank as Rebellion leader on me. This is my mission, you let me handle things my way."
Adora was slightly hesitant, troubled by the possible meaning of this condition, but finally nodded. "And the second."
"Don't get yourself killed."